Matt Enquist of Dust
www.thedustband.com
by Jessica

CS: How long have you all been together? How long has the group been in existence, not counting any possible changes in members?

Matt: we have been through a few member changes but our first show as we are today was in the Spring of 2004. So, we're coming up on a year

CS: How has this affected the group? Did it take awhile to bond? What kind of relationship do you all have now?

Matt: Eric, Derrick, and myself have been friends throughout the past 3-4 years of high school. I was introduced to Charlie when he joined the group. Charlie was a friend of Derrick and Eric. As for how we got along when we first started up, It was great to start out with strong relationships before the band and when I met Charlie for the first time, the same was true. God has blessed us with a spirit of friendship and love for one another throughout. Of course there have been arguments and disagreements but we realize that our purpose is bigger than petty arguments.

CS: What kind of equipment do you use?

Matt: We have a list of equiptment on our website. You can check it out at http://www.thedustband.com/bio.php

CS: What is the main focus in your ministry? Teens? The lost? The hurting? Why did you decide up on this as a focus?

Matt: I would say that the main focus of our ministry is simply our generation in general. We are a generation that is broken inside. We feel unwanted and betrayed and so we've rebelled against so much. The only one that can heal us and restore us, give us what we want and what we need, is Jesus Christ through His sacrifice. Many of our songs reflect this (especially "only hope"). We also minister to Christians as we seek to make a loud noise to the Lord and to be honest about faith through the good and the bad. I think these focus groups are simply a representation of our hearts.

CS: What does your groups name mean?

Matt: A friend of ours, Josh Becker, who was an original band member, came up with the name which has two meanings. First, it comes from Genesis and throughout the Bible in the context that man is created from dust. Dust is a symbol of humility before God, admitting who we are and what we are capable of. We are sinful, broken creatures that have been
given worth by God alone. The second meaning came after Josh and I heard a sermon about following Christ. The idea is that we make it our life's goal to follow Christ so closely that the dust from his sandals would be kicked up and onto his eager followers close behind. This is the goal: to be covered in the dust of our Rabbi's sandal's.

CS: Where did you come up with it?

Matt: Oops, I didn't see this question. Well, I answered it above...

CS: Where do you see the band in five years? Ten? The future?

Matt: That all depends on where God takes us. We're all going to college in the chicago-land area next year so the we will be within reach of each other. But our future is completely and totally in the hands of God. If He chooses to open the door to keep going through the next 10 years and if we are called to serve in that way, we will follow. If not, then the Lord will lead us all in the plans He has for us apart from the band. It's all up to God.

CS: Do you ever worry about getting caught up in the world of show biz? That success will change your group?

Matt: Good question! I certainly do worry about what "fame" can do to us. We have given it considerable thought and prayer as we have been involved with this adventure. In fact, I can think of at least one of our songs that touches on the subject. However, we believe that to "succeed" is to bring God all of the glory and that we would simply point to Him. This is what we pray for as a band.

CS: What kind of relationship do you maintain with your audiences? Do you fellowship with them? Or do you remain distant as the performer?

Matt: Fellowship is certainly a gift from God and one that we try to take full advantage of. It's great to hear what people thought about the show, the CD, or just life. It's important to realize that every person has something to say and we want to be there to listen.

CS: How would you describe your music style?

Matt: Christian rock driven by a desire to be honest, expressive, and glorifying to God.

CS: Who, or what, are your biggest musical influences?

Matt: Well, we all have a little bit different musical tastes. They are described on the link I gave you earlier
(http://www.thedustband.com/bio.php ).

CS: Are you involved in any other ministries?

Matt: We all participate in our various youth groups and churches. Some of us are involved with campus ministries at our schools.

CS: How much time do you spend practicing as a group? How much time do you practice individually?

Matt: We are some of the busiest people in the world (ok, a slight exageration) but we try to practice as often as possible. A lot of times, our shows are our practices (wow, that was a lot of "r's" in one sentence). We usually try to get together each weekend to practice but that rarely works out. Individually, we all probably play our instruments every day and a lot of us get practice playing with worship bands throughout the week.

CS: Does the group come together for prayer at times other than concerts and ministry opportunities?

Matt: Well, during every practice we open with a time of prayer and sharing about our lives and needs. We also try to hold each other accountable throughout the week.

CS: Have you always had a desire to be in a group like this?

Matt: I'm kind of the newcomer to music (I started fooling around on guitar 2 years ago) but the others have really been dominated by a passion for music for many years now. I'm blessed enough to be along for the ride.

CS: What is the latest news on your group? Any new CD's to be released soon?

Matt: GLAD YOU ASKED! We're really excited to have our first CD coming out on Friday April 22 at our show. The album has 9 songs and it's called "Only Hope." I'm finishing up the album art this weekend and we're working on a track list. Also, we just wrote 2 new songs which are not on the album but we're excited to get in and record them soon.

CS: What's the weirdest thing that's ever happened at one of your concerts?

Matt: We haven't had too many weird shows, I guess. Eric broke a string once before we even played a single note. He picked up his guitar and it broke. That was interesting. Then there have been shows when amps break at the last minute or we have no PA system or crazy stuff like that.

CS: What's a band could you not live without?

Matt: Personally... Sleeping at Last. They're really talented and I'm excited to hear their new CD that they're working on.

CS: What are your favorite bible verses?

Matt: Ephesians 2:8 is probably my favorite.

CS: Do you have any advice for the youth of today?

Matt: Don't give up seeking for meaning. The Lord is a living God that wants to know us personally. He wants to grant us freedom from a life of bondage to sin. Service to the Lord is what we are all made for. He is our only hope...

CS: What people have influenced you (non-musicians)?

Matt: Our families, youth pastors, mentors, anf friends have helped make us into who we are today. It is an incredible blessing to have people that care about you and what you do. To have someone believe in your cause and to see into your heart and respond with sacrificial love is the epitome of a gift from God. Surround yourself with these people.